Third-Quarter Flurry Lifts UNH Past UMass, 3-1, in Season Opener

Friday, February 26

DURHAM, N.H.

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

(1-0)

UMass

(0-1)

UMASS

New Hampshire

Photo by: Jack Bouchard

Third-Quarter Flurry Lifts UNH Past UMass, 3-1, in Season Opener

2/26/2021 8:32:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. – Sophomore Ava Mariani (Easton, Pa.), junior Finn Caron (Hampton, N.H.) and senior Bloem van den Brekel (Eindhoven, Netherlands) scored goals three minutes apart to lift the University of New Hampshire field hockey team to Friday afternoon's 3-1 victory against the University of Massachusetts at Memorial Field.

With UNH trailing 1-0 at halftime, Mariani ignited the run at 33:00, followed by Caron at 35:16 and van den Brekel at 36:04 to quickly turn a one-goal deficit into a two-goal lead; 48 seconds separated the last two goals.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Nikki Tredwell (Hampton, N.H.) earned the win with a five-save effort in her collegiate debut and first career start.

UMass goalie Brooke Richards was credited with four saves. Georgie McTear gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead on the first shot of the game at 3:03.

This marked the season opener for both teams. UNH is scheduled to return to action March 3 (2 p.m.) at home against Merrimack College.

FIRST QUARTER

UMass was awarded the first corner of the game and parlayed that into the first shot and goal to take a 1-0 lead at 3:03. Amelie Green made the insert to stick-stop Jess Beech at the top of the circle and McTear ripped a shot into the cage.
UMass ended the opening 15 minutes with a 3-2 shot advantage that included 2-0 on goal.

SECOND QUARTER

UNH generated its first sustained pressure of the game 2:40 into the second quarter. Junior Tia Raspante (Sandwich, Mass.) attempted to jam a shot inside the right post. She was denied by Richards, but the play resulted in a penalty stroke at 17:42.
van den Brekel snapped a rising shot toward the left post, but Richards made the blocker save to preserve UMass' 1-0 lead.
In the 21^st minute, senior Isabelle Danahy (Chelmsfod, Mass.) collected a rebound eight yards from the right post and ripped a shot toward the right post that beat Richards, but Josie Rossbach made the defensive save by sweeping the ball away from the goal line.
With 3:38 remaining in the first half, Raspante's redirection from 10 yards went high and ricocheted off the crossbar. The rebound rolled out to the left post but Caron was unable to get a stick on the ball.
Two minutes later, Tredwell denied Bella Ianni's shot from the left wing, then quickly slid to the middle to block aside Izzy Acquaviva's bid off the rebound from in front.
UNH recorded a 5-2 shot advantage in the scoreless second quarter. Both teams had two shots on goal.

THIRD QUARTER

Raspante's initial blast from the top of the circle was stopped by Richards, but Mariani corralled the rebound and deposited the ball into the cage to tie the score, 1-1, at 33:00.
The Wildcats converted another rebound into a 2-1 lead at 35:16. Freshman Lily Rothwell (Lynnfield, Mass.) sent a shot on target from the middle of the circle that was stopped by Richards, but Caron collected the ball and scored from five yards out into the open cage.
An individual effort by van den Brekel made it 3-1 at 36:04. She intercepted a clearing attempt on the right wing and fired a reverse-stick past Richards.
Tredwell made a left leg pad save against McTear with five minutes left in the third quarter, and that proved to the the last shot attempt of the game.
UNH generated a 6-2 shot advantage in the third with a 5-1 edge in shots on goal.

FOURTH QUARTER

Neither team recorded a shot or penalty quarter in the final 15-minute frame.

GAME NOTEBOOK

UNH finished with a 13-8 shot advantage that included 8-6 on goal.
Penalty corners were even at 2.

UNH NOTEBOOK

Van den Brekel is UNH's active career leader in goals (19) and points (52).
Caron is next with career numbers of 18 goals and 40 points.
Mariani increased her career stats to five goals and 11 points.

SERIES NOTEBOOK

UNH now has a 20-19-2 edge in the all-time series vs. UMass.
The Wildcats have won six straight, eight of the last nine and 11 of 14 dating back to the 2001 season.